I just read a brief review of a study claiming that people who spend at least 6-hours/day of their leisure time sitting die sooner than those who sit less than 3-hours/day. Over 53,0000 U.S. men and 69,000 women were followed over 14-years and, after adjusting for smoking and weight, death rate increased by about 40% in women and increased 20% in men. The death rate increased even if those who sat for over 6-hours/day still got a decent amount of exercise during the day. Leisure time was defined as time not spent at work. Who has 6-hours of pure leisure time during the day? Whether you do or not, this is a good reminder to get up and move.
Hello Again…
I have received quite a few emails reminding me that there has been a bit of blog inactivity. This is true. My apologies. I am working on so many wonderful projects at the moment- it seems my blog has been neglected. As for my projects—Akasha’s next Take Charge Group Cleanse starts on July 7th at Insight LA. Read more »
EWG’s 2010 dirty dozen
Every year the EWG publishes it’s shopper’s guide to pesticides. This list helps the “should-I-spend-the-extra-money-to-buy-this-organic” decision making process easier. Below is a list of the highest pesticide produce, “the dirty dozen” (when you can, buy these organic) and the cleanest produce “the clean 15″ (OK to save your money and buy conventional). Thank you EWG for doing the research and organizing this list! Read more »
Clearing the Air on Cooking Oils
Contrary to conventional wisdom, people are hearing more and more that olive oil – the “healthy oil” – is not safe to cook with at high heat. This is true. Though olive oil is generally considered healthy, its medicinal properties are lost when it is cooked at high temperatures. This is a frustrating development for those who happily use olive oil, rather than other types of oils, when sautéing their onions and garlic. Read more »
Spring Cleanse
I have been medically supervising patients through individualized cleanses for a few years now. Recently, the Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine has opened our Take Charge cleanse to the community. It has been quite a success so far. Our next Take Charge group cleanse will be held at the Agape Center. We will meet for 4-consecutive Thursday evenings from 7PM-9PM. Here’s a sneak peak of my article which will be included in Akasha’s upcoming newsletter. Read more »
A New Emergency Contraceptive Pill
A new emergency contraceptive pill, currently only available in Europe, is showing to be more effective than the widely used Levonorgestrel (also known as Plan B). This report, published in the Lancet, concluded that Ulipristal Acatate, known as ellaOne, is not only more effective at preventing pregnancy than Plan B, but its effectiveness lasts up to 5-days. This is in contrast to the 72-hours of Plan B. The most frequently reported side effect were headaches. Read more »
Mama’s Going Back to Work
I will be heading back to work on Monday – part-time, happily – after three months of bonding with Sophie and easing into motherhood. Though I am saddened to be leaving her (albeit, “daycare” responsibilities are being split between me, my husband, and my mother), I feel blessed and happy through to my core. And though this time is passing so quickly, I am learning to parent in the present, mindfully, and to have gratitude for all the special little moments packed within seemingly ordinary days. Read more »
Probiotics- so much more than gut support
A handful of health-conscious friends of mine were surprised to learn that I take a probiotic to help not just my digestion but also my overall immune system.
Most of us know that probiotics can help ease bloating and gas, treat diarrhea and support the health of our entire gastrointestinal tract. But there are a number of studies that also show probiotics decreasing the symptoms of upper respiratory infections. This really is not surprising since 80% of our immune system actually works in our gut. Most recently an article was published in the journal Pediatrics which studied 326 children who took a combination of 2 probiotics (L. acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis) or placebo for 6-months. The children who took probiotics had less fever, coughing and runny nose than the placebo group.
PAP Smear Screening Guidelines Have Changed
Mammograms are not the only women’s screening test to have its recommended guidelines changed (although it has received most of the press). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has updated their PAP smear testing guidelines as well. (I should clarify that it was the US Preventive Task Force (USPSTF) that recommended against ACOG’s screening mammogram guidelines. USPSTF recommends mammogram screening starting at age 50 while ACOG maintains its current advice that women receive routine screening at age 40. In other words, the people who recommended mammogram screening changes are not the same people who have recommended this change in pap smear guidelines).
There are 2 different Pap smear screening techniques: the conventional Pap smear slide (the old school but acceptable way) and the liquid-based process. The liquid-based test (which we do at Akasha) filters out blood, inflammatory cells and other debris while also being capable of testing for HPV, gonorrhea and Chlamydia.
As of December 2009, ACOGs PAP smear recommendations are: Read more »
Happy New Year
I enjoy making New Year’s resolutions. The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on the year that was and set goals for the future. I find that organizing my goals in a journal is a useful way to keep track of them and to help me approach them with intention.
I have two suggestions for writing down your resolutions: be specific and enjoy the process. Read more »
